Hull City have defied the odds from the start of the season and show no signs of stopping after securing a spot in the Championship play-off final with a victory over Millwall.
At the beginning of the season, Hull City were expected to be fighting against relegation due to a two-window transfer embargo. Additionally, they had not won away since March 10, and many believed they would be beaten by a Millwall side that narrowly missed out on automatic promotion to the Premier League by just one point.
It had also been seven years since a team finishing sixth in the Championship reached the play-off final. However, this version of Hull City—known for their scrappy, inventive, and brave approach—has once again rewritten history, winning 2-0 to put themselves within 90 minutes of a return to the Premier League.
The match between Millwall and Hull City lacked intense rivalry, but when the pressure was at its highest, it was Mohamed Belloumi who stepped up to the spotlight. He came on as a substitute just before half-time after Kyle Joseph suffered a heavy challenge that left him in tears. From that moment on, Millwall struggled to contain Belloumi.
Manager Alex Neil tried to change the game by substituting left-back Zak Sturdge with Alfie Doughty, but the move backfired almost immediately. Belloumi effortlessly turned Doughty inside out as he advanced down the right, before cutting in and scoring a stunning goal into the bottom corner in front of the enthusiastic away fans.
Belloumi continued his impact, becoming the key player in sealing the match by setting up fellow substitute Joe Gelhardt. Gelhardt, who had only been on the pitch for 60 seconds, scored the second goal. Millwall goalkeeper Anthony Patterson looked devastated as the ball trickled past him despite getting a hand to it. The goal proved to be the decisive moment, with multiple Millwall players collapsing in despair on the pitch.
Hull City will once again be underdogs in the Wembley final later this month, where they will face either Middlesbrough or Southampton. However, throughout the entire season, they have consistently been underdogs. Why stop now? Their journey has shown that they are capable of achieving the unexpected.
